Corresponding with the Prime Minister

True Story

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Dear Mr. Harper:

Before you became Prime Minister, our soldiers were known around the world as Peace Keepers. Now almost daily we hear of Canadian soldiers being wounded or killed. Why is this? Why are we no longer Peace Keepers? Why have you turned our peace keeping soldiers into warriors? What is it you hope to accomplish? This is not Canada's mission in the world. We are supposed to make things better. Now we are just like everyone else, fighting, killing, and dying. The War on Terror is a ridiculous claim to take power. The real Terrorists are the Americans and you have sent our troops to join them. I fear that the old Pogo line is true - 'we have seen the enemy and it is us'. You will never change the world by doing the same thing as everyone else.

Mona Anderson
Ordinary Citizen
Canada



-----Original Message-----From: Prime Minister/Premier ministre [mailto:pm@pm.gc.ca]Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 1:59 PMTo: Mona AndersonSubject: Office of the Prime Minister / Cabinet du Premier ministre

Dear Ms. Anderson:

On behalf of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, I would like to acknowledge receipt of your correspondence regarding Canada's role in Afghanistan. Please be assured that your comments have been carefully noted.

It is in Canada's national interest to see Afghanistan become a free, democratic and peaceful country. An unstable Afghanistan represents a serious threat to Canada and the world. Canada has assumed an international leadership role by serving in the United Nations mandated, but Canadian led, Afghan security mission.

Canada has a tradition of stepping up to the plate and providing leadership on global issues. The Prime Minister is proud of the Canadian Forces personnel who have put themselves on the line to defend our national interests and to help Afghans rebuild their country. They are standing up for core Canadian values and achieving important victories for the people of Afghanistan.

As you may know, the House of Commons recently voted to extend the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan until February 2009. A copy of the Prime Minister's speech delivered prior to this vote is available online at http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=1165.

Once again, thank you for writing to the Prime Minister.

L.A. Lavell
Executive Correspondence Officer for the Prime Minister's Office
Agent de correspondancede la haute directionpour le Cabinet du Premier ministre


Dear Sir/Madame L.A. Lavell:

I appreciate the quick response, which I admit was a surprise. I didn't expect to hear back at all. I do have to say your comments have not reassured me. If anything, they have made me more uncomfortable by the patronizing tone your message has set. I know very well what the traditions of Canada are and that we always step up to help other people. Getting into armed conflict is not the way - only after all other alternatives have been exhausted should anyone resort to force - and time has proven that force is often a faulty method. Afghanistan would not have to rebuild it's country if it were not for the long time interference of the United States and their frantic search for oil and power. Cloaking this all as an interest in democratic freedom does not wash. We all know it's about oil. Mr. Harper's enthusiasm for Mr. Bush and his politics is well known and it is frightening to many Canadians that we should be following the lead of such an unenlightened person as the current American President.

Even as I try to write this message, I am overcome by the futility of my efforts. I cannot hope to correspond with a person who has initials for a name, so I can't even tell if you are male or female, or even real, from a department assigned to send canned answers to incoming mail. My comments have not been "carefully" noted as you suggest. I've been tossed into the auto reply bin and I know it. And yet ... hope lingers. Maybe that's because I am a Canadian of many generations.

Sincerely
Mona Anderson
Ordinary Citizen

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Okay, I admit it isn't the best letter I've ever written - but I was frustrated. There's been no response to my second letter.